


In the End

by ami_ven



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Ascension, Community: 100_tales, F/M, Future Character Death, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-13
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-20 12:50:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4787834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam settled into her lawnchair on the dock and cast her line out into the pond.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the End

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "100_tales" prompt #100 "author's choice" ("ascension")
> 
> (Part of my future!verse. For a chronological list, check out the [LJ master post](http://ami-ven.livejournal.com/212977.html))

Sam settled into her lawnchair on the dock and cast her line out into the pond.

“This is great,” she said.

“I told you,” said Jack, who had been dead almost fifteen years.

Sam smiled over at him— he looked young again, just a hint of silver at the temples, sprawled in the lawn chair that had appeared beside hers.

“Took you long enough,” she teased.

“Had to wait for the right time, Carter,” he said. “But I’ve been watching out for you.”

“You went to see your own grave, didn’t you?”

He shuddered. “Freakiest thing.”

Sam laughed. Then, she said, softly, “I missed you.”

“Yeah, I know. This not-interferring sucks.”

“This isn’t interfering?”

“Technically, no,” said Jack. He cast his line out and let it bob next to hers. “I didn’t mean to leave you like that, Carter. But I don’t regret doing it.”

“Good.” Sam reached over to set her hand on his, her wrinkled skin against his smooth fingers. “You wouldn’t be you if you did.”

“Then you know it’s me?” Jack asked. “You don’t think I’m a hallucination?”

“Of course not,” said Sam. “When they… when they retrieved the parts of your ‘jumper… I knew you hadn’t blown up, Jack, you’d Ascended. I knew you’d be back for me.”

“Today?” he said. “Carter, you didn’t—”

She laughed. “This isn’t suicide, Jack, just old age. Even if you’d taken a few more days to come, this is where I want to be, at the end.”

“Carter…”

“Isn’t that why you’re here?” said Sam. “To help me Ascend?”

Jack turned his hand over, lacing their fingers together. “Only if you want me to. It’s not as easy as you’d think, being a higher power, you—”

She interrupted him with a kiss, ignoring the sharp pain in her back as she twisted. He kissed her back, light swirling around them, just as she heard the crunch of tires on the gravel driveway.

“Mom!?”

Sam pulled away from the kiss, feeling younger, lighter, and turned to face their daughter. “You knew this was coming, A.J.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” the younger woman replied. She smiled. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hi, kiddo,” said Jack. “I guess the cabin’s yours now.”

“ _Dad_ ,” she said, half-laughing, half-crying.

Sam took a step forward to cup her daughter’s face and press a kiss to her forehead. “Remember the happy times, not the sad ones,” she said. “Be strong for your brother, he’s going to need you. Tell everyone that we love them, and we’ll watch over them. Tell Uncle Daniel that we’ll be waiting.”

A.J. swiped at her nose, looking more like the child she had been than the Air Force Major General she was now. “I will, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” said Sam, and hugged her.

“Dad?” asked A.J., over her mother’s shoulder, and he joined them.

“I am so, so proud of you, Amanda,” he said. “We’re not supposed to interfere, once we… you know, _ascend_ , but if you ever need anything…”

She managed a smile. “I’ll be sure to yell real loud.”

Jack nodded. “That’s my girl.”

A.J. stepped back and took a deep breath. “I miss you, Dad,” she said, voice soft but strong. “Take care of Mom, will you?”

Her father nodded. “Always.”

THE END


End file.
